The High School Football Report: 2009 Edition

Week 9 of the high school football season featured dozens of games throughout San Diego County.
And that's all for this edition of The High School Football Report.
We hope you enjoyed The High School Football Report.
Join us again next week for The High School Football Report.

The Richard Seymour/Minor-League Town Poll

The Raiders could not beat a high school team.
	Agree
	Mildly Agree
	Somewhat Agree
	Strongly Agree
	Violently Agree
	Disagree
	Mildly Disagree
	Somewhat Disagree
	Strongly Disagree
	Violently Disagree
	I'll hold off on my prediction until the high school team's injury report is out
Free polls from Pollhost.com

The Minor-League Town Quote o' the Day

"I thought our guys got prepared to play and played well and we were able to take away the things that Kansas City does best."

-- Chargers coach Norv Turner, as if there's anything Kansas City does best

"Doogie Howser, G.M."

In an effort to appeal to the "tween" demographic, the Padres have hired Jed Hoyer as their new general manager.
Hoyer, formerly the assistant GM of the Boston Red Sox, is 35 but his boyish appearance makes him look several years younger. He could pass for Josh McDaniels' little brother.
Hoyer's impressive resume is not strictly baseball-centric. He had a previous brush with fame when he spent two seasons as Pacey's stunt double on "Dawson's Creek."
The good news for Hoyer is that now that he has a big-boy job, the youngster can give up his paper route.
Former Padres GM Kevin Towers, who still answers to the colorful nickname "KT," probably has socks older than this kid. Hoyer answers to numerous nicknames, including "Skippy" and "Doogie Howser."
We here at Minor-League Town would like to congratulate Jed Hoyer on his new job.
But his youth makes you wonder, though ... When the Padres play an extra-inning game, will the little guy have to ask for his parents' permission to stay up past his bedtime?

The USD Report

The University of San Diego lost to Jacksonville 34-16 in college football action Saturday.
And that's all for this edition of The USD Report.
We hope you enjoyed The USD Report. Join us again next time for The USD Report.

The High School Football Report: 2009 Edition

Week 8 of the high school football season featured dozens of games throughout San Diego County.
And that's all for this edition of The High School Football Report.
We hope you enjoyed The High School Football Report.
Join us again next week for The High School Football Report.

Inside the Numbers

If defense wins championships, then lack of defense clearly can ensure you won't win any championships.
Ladies and gentlemen, your San Diego Chargers.
After Monday night's 34-23 loss to the Broncos, one set of numbers jumps out at you.
The Broncos have allowed only 66 points in six games (that's 11 points per game for you non-mathematicians), best in the league.
The Chargers, in only five games, have surrendered 136 points (27.2 points a game).
Enough said.

The USD Report

The University of San Diego lost to Drake 21-14 in college football action Saturday.
And that's all for this edition of The USD Report.
We hope you enjoyed The USD Report. Join us again next time for The USD Report.

The High School Football Report: 2009 Edition

Week 7 of the high school football season featured dozens of games throughout San Diego County.
And that's all for this edition of The High School Football Report.
We hope you enjoyed The High School Football Report.
Join us again next week for The High School Football Report.

The Minor-League Town Quote o' the Day

"This is not going to be another San Diego-like debacle."

-- Marshall Grossman, attorney for Dodger owner Frank McCourt, referring to John Moores' sale of the Padres. Grossman was asked if McCourt's separation from wife Jamie could lead to the Dodgers being sold.

Who Wants to be a General Manager?

With unemployment at historic levels, competition is fierce for any job opening. And now the Padres have decided to take advantage of the extra-large pool of available talent.
Sources told Minor-League Town the Padres will hold open tryouts to allow fans an opportunity to apply for the club's general manager opening.
Those interested should contact team officials to arrange a time for your interview. They'll make sure they schedule it at a time that's most convenient for you.
Club officials stress that no previous general managing experience is necessary. No previous full-time employment is necessary, although special consideration will be given to those with experience working on a tight budget. Extra special consideration will be given to those whose initials can make for a catchy nickname.
Once their interview is scheduled, applicants should report to 19 Tony Gwynn Drive, and it is recommended they wear comfortable shoes and their favorite Hawaiian print shirt.
Candidates should be prepared to articulate their vision for the team's future, and they'll be judged on their ability to answer questions without actually answering the questions.
Now this is fantasy baseball.

The USD Report

The University of San Diego defeated Valparaiso 48-7 in college football action Saturday.
And that's all for this edition of The USD Report.
We hope you enjoyed The USD Report. Join us again next time for The USD Report.

The High School Football Report: 2009 Edition

Week 6 of the high school football season featured dozens of games throughout San Diego County.
And that's all for this edition of The High School Football Report.
We hope you enjoyed The High School Football Report.
Join us again next week for The High School Football Report.

Rivera's Tackling Dummies

For no apparent reason, there seems to be a common perception that the Chargers' defense has improved since Ron Rivera replaced Ted Cottrell as defensive coordinator midway through last season.
Yeah, sure it has.
We've seen no evidence to support this myth. With Rivera calling the shots, this defense is every bit as horrible as it was with Cottrell.
And Sunday night's 38-28 loss to the Steelers might have been Rivera's most Cottrell-esque piece of work yet.
Pittsburgh's offense, which had been struggling to put points on the board, torched Rivera's tackling dummies for 497 total yards. But on the bright side, it could have been worse -- 497 sounds better than 500 yards.
Rivera's Tackling Dummies stood around and watched as Ben Roethlisberger completed 79 percent of his passes while throwing for 333 yards and two touchdowns. But the key to the game was allowing Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall to rush for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. Mendenhall, whose NFL resume before Sunday consisted of basically nothing, might have a Hall of Fame career if he were allowed to run against Rivera's Tackling Dummies every week.
So after four games this season, Rivera's Tackling Dummies have allowed 366 total yards per game and 26 points per game. And the Chargers have been outscored 102-101 through four weeks, while also losing the time of possession battle three out of four weeks.
But Charger fans can rest assured that Ron Rivera has this mess under control.
Yeah, heck of a job, Ronnie.

The USD Report

The University of San Diego lost to Butler 25-24 in college football action Saturday.
And that's all for this edition of The USD Report.
We hope you enjoyed The USD Report. Join us again next time for The USD Report.

Gone, but Still Answering to the Colorful Nickname "KT"

With a solid second half of the season, the Padres appeared headed toward some semblance of respectability. But almost on cue, they reminded us that they are still the Padres.
Still the laughingstock of baseball.
The only thing that makes less sense than trading Jake Peavy is firing Kevin Towers, but the Padres did just that Saturday, ending the regime of the longest-tenured general manager in baseball.
We've disagreed with some of Towers' moves, and we've rarely missed a chance to poke fun at the man who answers to the colorful nickname "KT," but we always respected his professionalism. In fact, KT was a much better GM than this organization deserved the past 14 years.
Jeff Moorad, the team's new CEO, provided some vague answers Saturday when asked by reporters about Towers' firing. Using phrases such as "who we want to be going forward," "skill set," "prototype" and "in sync," Moorad sounded like a prototype CEO. No word if Moorad mentioned any other boy bands.
Towers, meanwhile, says he was not given a reason for his firing. Perhaps Moorad just didn't feel comfortable, or safe, working alongside a "gunslinger." No word on whether Moorad is a gun-control advocate.
"When I think of a gunslinger, I think of a guy that shoots first, or throws the first punch, he wins the battle," Towers told reporters Saturday. "KT was always about winning the battle."
So not only does KT answer to the colorful nickname "KT," he also refers to himself in the third person with the colorful nickname "KT."
Tremendous.
With quotes like that, we're really going to miss KT around here. And it's sad to note that KT now joins a growing list of our Minor-League Town favorites who have departed San Diego. It's quite an illustrious group: Jake Peavy, David Wells, Milton Bradley, Sandy Alderson and now Kevin Towers.
We don't know what we're going to do with this huge void in the Minor-League Town well of material.
Who are we going to make fun of now, Wade LeBlanc?

The High School Football Report: 2009 Edition

Week 5 of the high school football season featured dozens of games throughout San Diego County.
And that's all for this edition of The High School Football Report.
We hope you enjoyed The High School Football Report.
Join us again next week for The High School Football Report.